There is a movie called "Clouds", and I've never cried as much over a movie as I have for this one. It was originally on Disney+, but now it is only available for rent/buy on YouTube or other platforms. The movie is based off of a completely true story, with the same names and storyline. In 2012-2013, singer Zach Sobiech begins writing music and becomes a hit almost instantly, partnering with his best friend Sammy Brown to create beautiful music. However, Zach battles with osteosarcoma and dies at the age of 18, just after his song "Clouds" shoots to the number one song on Apple Music. I've seen my fair share of sad movies, including "My Girl", "Steal Magnolias", "Five Feet Apart", and "Titanic", but none of them could compare to how many tears I've shed over "Clouds". I originally watched this movie in 2021. For one of my dance classes, we were doing a dance to the song "Clouds", and I was interested in learning the story behind it, which is why I investigated the movie. My best friend and I watched started it together, but she left early. I finished the movie by myself, but called her when I was done, holding a damp blanket and my breath trembling. Having the personal connection to the song made the movie a million times more emotional for me. This movie has had the greatest impact on me because it has taught me to embrace every moment as if it were my last. Zach Sobiech was not afraid of death, and he essentially prepared himself because he knew his end was inevitable. However, he followed his passion of music until his last breath. Zach's perseverance reminds me that every minute alive is a blessing, and no matter what happens after our life is over, we should be proud of the life we lived. Zach as a real life person and as a movie character has inspired me in so many ways and I never even met him in real life. I can't begin to imagine how inspirational he was to those around him during his lifetime. This movie has had the greatest impact on my life because it taught me that it's okay to be vulnerable and cry, even if it is over a 2-hour film. I have a tendency to bottle up my emotions, but the tears that I shed while watching this movie are not just for the movie, but for myself and letting myself open up for once. This movie also generally inspires me to not take anyone in my life for granted because my time with them could end before I realize. This movie has shaped my perspective on other films, music, and life itself through its amazing actors, storyline, music, and the message that it conveys to audiences around the world. I hope to meet Zach one day in heaven.

My mental health is the reason I can't even trust myself anymore. It sounds so stupid, but the reason I sometimes feel...worthless...is because of a movie I saw, where a character commits suicide. After I saw that, I had some desire to do the same. I tried talking about it, but everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, just told me to "stop thinking about it". Yeah, like I hadn't thought about that before. After that period in my life, I haven't felt supported since. Sure, I'm supported through my dreams and aspirations, but in terms of my mental health, I grew up in a household where therapy wasn't an option. Being only fourteen at a time, I never thought I'd make it to where I am today, writing this essay. After I thought this "issue" dissolved, and I finally felt better about myself, things took a turn for the worst. In fall 2023, about a month before my sweet sixteen, my best friend betrayed me through lies and hurting me all out of spite. During that time, I began starving myself to the point where the thought of food made me nauseous. I lost 10 pounds in one week. Fast forward one year, to the end of 2024, I had somewhat healed my relationship with food, but then the nausea came back. In less than four months I lost 20 more pounds. All because I was insecure and it got to a point where my brain and body rejected food completely. I thought maybe looking better on the outside would make me feel better on the inside. Apparently nothing tasted as good as being thin felt. Now today, there's a lot of stress in my family. My parents are dealing with my grandparent's poor cognition and everyone takes their emotions out on me. But the second I speak up, it's always my fault. I'm not explaining this for sympathy, but to describe the way that I am. I admit, I love my life. I have a best friend and a boyfriend and I love God completely. But I hate when my body kills myself on my brain's behalf. I know that I am loved, and I try to get help because I know it'll help me, but every once in a while I can't do it anymore. I shut down and I return to that state of mind of fourteen-year-old Steph. The girl who guys only liked because of her chest. The girl who pushed anyone good out of her life. The girl who stayed up late staring at her ceiling because she couldn't stop thinking about ending it all. Again, this isn't a sympathy essay, but my mental health has impacted me a lot more than I realize. I can't open up to those closest to me. In terms of career aspirations, one of my coping mechanisms would be to stay up until 1am watching TV to distract myself from my problems. The main show I watched was Riverdale, because why not? One of the characters was involved in forensics, and I aspire to be like her. I know forensics isn't similar to true-crime shows, but the initial idea of it allowed me to research into the field and explore more about what it actually is. And now, I can't wait to study it. Thanks to my coping mechanism, I know what I want to do with my life. I know my purpose, finally.

I'm a dance-loving, tea-drinking, quilt-making, theatre-driven leader who just wants to help my community as much as I can. In short, I've been a dancer for 15+ years, I am the vice president for the International Honors Thespian Society as well as costume designer for my school's musicals, I am a member of NHS and the National Math Honor Society, and I am involved in countless of clubs at school, Medical Club and the Guardians of Life Club just to name a few. In my spare time, I work at Subway and I participate in many service events through the Knights of Columbus. I never thought I would look up to those smaller than me. If I could start my own charity, it would be for children. Nothing breaks my heart more than children who cannot enjoy their adolescence. Whether it be due to illness or financial hardships, their youth should not be taken away from them when they're not even old enough to understand it yet. A few summers ago, my grandmother and I spent two months making nearly 30 blankets for the Project Linus Organization that donates blankets to children in hospitals or in underprivileged circumstances. At the end of the project, I took all the scraps of fabric we had left from cutting the blankets and made a quilt for my grandmother who helped me through it. Additionally, for the International Honors Thespian Society, we are required to partake in a philanthropy project each year. I wanted to incorporate my love for serving underprivileged children. Therefore, I am working with my fellow club members to organize a Teddy Bear drive. In the spring of 2026, around Easter, we are going to ask students at school to bring in new stuffed animals, and we will then donate all the items to a local children's hospital, such as John's Hopkins, that will accept them. We have already checked all the safety requirements as well to ensure cleanliness. In addition to serving children, my school often hosts mass and the donations from mass often go to expectant mothers in need so they can care for their children once they have them. After I graduate and can no longer organize these projects from the comfort of my own home, I will continue to donate to children's hospitals or other organizations that help families in need. Ultimately, I would love to actually volunteer with children so I can interact with them. Even if I am twice their age, I love seeing how much joy they bring to the world even without having much joy in their life. If I was awarded this scholarship, I would put most of it toward my tuition, but I would also put it to buying supplies so I can donate again to children, and eventually going to see them in person. In college, I am going to be studying forensic biology, but I will never forget my love for serving underprivileged children. If I can one day bring a fraction as much joy to the world as they do every day, my mission will be complete.

I'm the last person you'd expect to like math. After seventh grade, I never wanted to do as much as look at a triangle or circle ever again. After having to practically teach myself Algebra I during the pandemic, and then barely passing geometry the next year, I knew math was not my specialty. I even had to retake Algebra I during my freshman year of high school. Algebra II was better, but I think that was due to my amazing teacher (finally). After sophomore year, I had a choice to make for my junior year math course: precalculus or statistics. Even the thought of precalculus stressed me out. I mean, realistically, I will most definitely use statistics after high school or college. But when I think about my future, when am I ever going to have to find the area of a trapezoid? If I didn't take stats, I wouldn't know how to analyze data logically, which is an essential life skill, but I'd be able to tell you the properties of a parallelogram like the back of my hand, which I can't think of one reasonable use for. That made my decision very clear. Ultimately, despite my grandfather's hatred for statistics and his strong encouragement not to peruse it, I chose statistics. Little did I know that this class would make me love math. This was the first math course that I had excelled in. Granted, most institutions don't consider statistics to be a "higher" math course, but that is why I chose to take AP Statistics senior year, for an even more intriguing challenge. I love how the answers don't have to be direct numbers, but it is more subjective in terms of how you explain your answers. At this point, I am seriously considering minoring in statistics when I go off to college. By the time this scholarship is awarded, I will already be in college, but I would use it to put towards taking extra statistics-based courses at whichever university I attend. When people ask me what I think of math, I no longer curl up in a ball. I smile and say that my second period statistics class is my favorite class and I love how much it connects to the real world. I've finally found the joy in math!

It is unfair how many people do not get justice for those they love, and often do not get the closure that they need that everything will be okay. I am planning to study criminal justice and criminology. My main reason for this is so people can find a sense of peace after a storm of chaos in their lives. By studying criminal justice and criminology, I can provide the court with proper evidence so that people and families who are suffering can get the most accurate results as possible. So many people often say that courts are bias or that the system is "rigged", but I hope to prove the contrary. I want to get people to trust that they will be taken care of and justice will be restored. Once I receive my degree, I hope to enter into the FBI or another agency that can help solve the biggest issues in society. I want to do the best that I can to help those who believe that all hope is lost. Although I will not be studying social work specifically, I will be studying in relations to criminal justice with a similar goal in mind, which is to help others reach finality about a topic that has brought too much stress into their lives already. With this scholarship, I will be able to afford a proper education, with all the supplies and resources necessary. I will be the first person in my family to graduate college, and I would like to make the impact on the world that the rest of my family never got to make. Any scholarship will help me because I will express my gratitude through my service toward others. Once I earn my degree, I can help people receive justice and make a positive impact on those who are suffering. In my opinion, the world is too split on a variety of topics, from politics to religion to pineapple on pizza. The criminal justice system is just another example of this, with only two options: guilty or not guilty, or in more personal terms, justice or no justice. It is my goal to provide the best results possible to the court in order to unite those who seem to be lost. I may not know exactly where my future will take me, but this scholarship will help me by giving me the motivation to do everything in my power to make the world a better place (I will try my best anyways, but this scholarship will help me every bit more). Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship, and I hope the recipient, hopefully me, uses it well, with the goal of making the world a more just, peaceful, and united place.

"There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn't" - John Greene, "Turtles All the Way Down" This is a quote that I regularly recite to myself as a reminder that I am not my thoughts. A large part of me is that I am a perfectionist, which to me, means I get worked up when my doubts get in the way of my success. I am involved in a variety of organizations, inside and outside of school. Personally, I am more than just a student. I've done lots of volunteer work within the past few months, (yes, for school requirement but also because I enjoy serving my community), I recently signed up to be a Statistics tutor, I am starting dance for my sixteenth and final season, I am the head of the costume department for my school's musical, "Fiddler on the Roof", as well as the Vice President for my school's chapter of the International Honors Thespian Society. I am the publicist/advertiser for the Medical Club, and I also work roughly 15-20 hours per week at Subway. There are plenty more activities and clubs I could describe, but they are all listed in my profile if you want a complete list. It seems like a lot, but I can somehow manage it. And even when I can't, whether that is because I am so busy or because my perfectionist mind tells me to give up, I still show up every day with a smile on my face, prepared to serve my community. Moreover, from freshman through junior year, I was on the Varsity Cheerleading team, however, I was cut from the team this year, and the coaches refused to give me a straight answer when I asked why. However, I still consider myself an athlete due to my extended history of dance. This year, for my final year, I decided to take as many classes as possible (seven, to be exact), just to get the most out of my last few months at my studio. Now, how would I use this scholarship? I would use it to help my parents, honestly. They're trying to hard to help me with college so that I can leave with as little debt as possible. If I were to continue dancing in college, which I am definitely considering, I could always put the scholarship towards that. However, if I choose not to do that, I would put it towards my tuition for the sake of my family. My parents have already dumped loads of money into my dance and school extracurriculars, that I just want to be able to give back to them as much as I can. Additionally, I would express my gratitude for this scholarship by participating in more service events and really giving back to my community, most likely either for my future college or for my Church. After hearing about Kalia, I really aspire to be like her through her ambition and goals for success. Overall, I would greatly appreciate this scholarship because I would be able to continue to participate in dance and my love for service, while also giving back to my parents, who I really am to thank for everything I have accomplished so far in life. My goal for the rest of my life is to succeed, but most importantly, put a smile on other people's faces. Back to my initial quote from John Greene, I hope to show people, including myself, that there really is hope, even when your mind tells you otherwise.

Ouch. I'm not going to go into too much graphic detail, for your sake, however, I've had my fair share of injuries over the past few years. I have been a dancer for almost sixteen years and have never gotten hurt once (minus the occasional ingrown toenail from pointe shoes, but that doesn't exactly count, does it?). When I started high school in 2022, I tried out for the Varsity Cheerleading team. I was thrilled when I made the team! It was even more ironic that the only other freshman that made the team had the same name as me...quite literally the same first and middle name, same last initial. Well, I knew I'd at least have one good friend going into freshman year. Cheerleading became my personality, I was dedicated to it with my life. A few days before Halloween in 2023, during my sophomore year, we were attempting a certain stunt. Mind you, we were practicing on the floor in front of the stage in our auditorium because the basketball team was using the gym. This stunt was a complicated one that we'd never tried before, and my flyer was not the best at her job. The stunt was doomed from the start, and it fell...on me. My pinky nail got caught on my flyer's clothes and, like I said, I'll save the gory details. However, it took a year to recover from the injury, considering I had to grow my nail all the way back from the root. I was out for almost the rest of the season just because I didn't have all ten fingers ready to participate. When I was finally able to stunt again, I was thrilled! But this experience will never leave my mind. Well, this year, my senior year, my coaches decided to cut me from the team, no explanation. I decided that cheerleading wasn't as important in my life anymore and that after fifteen years of dance, I should be focused on making my last one the best one. Because I've been so committed to my dance studio my entire life, I was debating pursuing dance in college, considering I'm not sure if I'd want to dance with anyone besides the people back home. However, I think that if I received this scholarship, I would put it to good use. It would go to a combination of my school supplies (textbooks, tools, etc.), but it would also go to new dance equipment. If I received this scholarship, I think that would be a sign for me that I should continue dance in college, because I'm beginning to realize that dance is more than just the people I dance with. Although I will miss them, I can use what they've taught me to continue dancing in college. I understand that many people think dance is considered a "performing art" and not a sport, but I would like to use this scholarship to continue my dance career and prove those people wrong through all of my physical and emotional commitment and hard work. In college, I plan to study Forensic Science, and work towards my bachelor's and master's degree. With this scholarship, I will be able to prove to myself once again that I am capable of having the academic vs. extracurricular balance in my life. I'm not completely sure if I want to dance in college, but earning this scholarship would help me decide much easier.

Besides math, science is one of the only subjective fields. English and the arts are important, but the significance of it is determined by one's opinions. Science, however, is the facts that make up all of creation so far. Thanks to some of the world's greatest scientists like Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and more, we know how the Earth came to its existence today. Despite our inability to identify the exact point in which the Earth was created (excluding faith beliefs), science gives us the ability to explain evolution. How mankind developed, and then eventually how technology developed, and more. Leadership is important when studying science because every idea is just a hypothesis until proven otherwise. Previously mentioned leaders Newton and Darwin had the courage to continue on their ideas, which later came to be some of the most important ideas in all of evolution. There are countless amounts of evidence that prove how we evolved, and they shape the future because of what it has already done for us so far. Aspiring scientists are now unafraid to share their ideas because they know scientists before them were able to provide the most essential knowledge possible. In terms of the future, society's opinions and standards will change, as well as interpretation of those subjective fields, but science and the most factual information will never change. Exploring biology will help us answer the questions we have about living beings. Chemistry will help us find new properties and more complex ideas. Other types of science in general will allow us to learn more about our world. Scientists have dedicated their lives to explain evolution and unanswered questions so far. However, we are constantly evolving, even you, the reader, have evolved since the start of reading this essay. And only scientists will be able to explain that change of evolution for the past, present, and future.

My English teacher from this past year, Mrs. Thompson, changed my perspective on stress and negativity. Granted, her teaching style was not the strongest compared to other English teachers I've had in high school, however, she was a great mentor. Throughout the year, she had a very lighthearted spirit and always encouraged positivity. She always reminded us that our grades do not define us, and that one grade on one test or project is not going to change the course of our future. During difficult times, she handled it with professionalism, but still admitted that we are all humans trying our best. Moreover, I think she knew how many students did not like her. She was a very "gentle" person, which means students most likely thought they could walk all over her. However, she regularly showed how to laugh with her students instead of taking jokes too seriously. Her whole persona really exemplified how we take life too seriously. There are times for more difficult conversations, but life is meant for joy and happiness rather than stress over things that will not matter a year from now. During the first two years of high school, I acted as if I was my grades. I thought I was only "good enough" if I had a certain GPA. Entering junior year, I told myself I was going to work on my test anxiety and manage my stress regarding schoolwork better. Mrs. Thompson was the perfect teacher for this because she really taught me how to balance "worrying" about an assignment compared to actually preparing and putting effort into an assignment. One of the mottos I followed during junior year was "however much effort you put into an assignment will reflect in your grade". I cannot say that always occurred, but it definitely gave me a great mindset regarding completing my work. Mrs. Thompson really influenced my life because she taught me how to handle such stressful situations with grace. I really learned a lot from her as a teacher, considering English is not my best class, but I also learned a lot from her personally. We (her students) all knew she had rough situations happening in her personal life. And although she never elaborated, for obviously private reasons, it always amazed me how she could show up every day being very cheerful and energetic, ready to brighten anyone and everyone's day. Finally, one of the things that I did not realize she helped me with was how to interact with others. She told my class at the beginning of the year that she always likes to match her peers' energy in terms of conversations and discussions. For example, there were many times in which we would get side-tracked during class discussions, and although she would always find a way to quickly bring us back to the topic of the book, she participated in the fun and enjoyed the jokes we would make. This is yet another example of her lightheartedness. School isn't always the happiest place, considering stress, assignments, etc. However, Mrs. Thompson really prepared us for our senior year by reminding us to not stress over minor inconveniences, and take on any challenge with determination rather than anxiety. Sadly, she is not returning to my school next year, so I am trying my best to remember and use every lesson she taught us, especially about how to be lighthearted, and that not everything is as serious as we make it to be.

Sports? Check. Theater? Check. Clubs? Check. My schedule is jam-packed, especially around November. I go to school, go to theater rehearsal right after, then I go to cheerleading practice, and then I go to dance, and I get home at 9PM at the earliest. During the school day, I'm involved in a variety of clubs. On top of that, I work on the weekends. Spring time is usually where all the activities start to dilute, but it's still stressful. I love getting involved with my community because I love making a difference in stranger's lives. For example, I love dance, I've been dancing at my studio for fifteen years. A few years ago, I began teaching dance classes to toddlers. I technically could receive service hours for this, but I choose not to "log" my hours because I don't believe it is about credit, it is about making an impact in the children's lives. I started cheerleading when I was a freshman, and I've definitely made many memories. Even when we had to practice in a non-heated barn in the middle of January because we had no other place to practice, I never gave up on my team, and it only made the sport more memorable. I love cheering at sports games because it gives me a chance to step away from my phone and take a minute to recognize the beautiful people that I'm surrounded by every day. It may not seem like much at the time, but looking back, my cheer team really enhances the game and makes it more enjoyable for the families watching. Moreover, I love theater, it's probably my favorite extracurricular. I'm the Vice President of the International Honors Thespian Society. Last summer, I volunteered at my school to help with a theater camp, and it brought me immense joy to watch these nervous middle schoolers branch out and embrace their talents that they didn't know they had! Additionally, I have never seen a group of people more dedicated to an extracurricular than those who do theater. I have learned so much about how to be a better actor and a better person in general just by spending time with certain people who are devoted to their passion. And of course, in the midst of my busy schedule, when my theater director asked, of course I agreed to become head of the costume department for our school's musical. Typically I work on microphones or I am an actor, but when this opportunity to become a leader came, I wasn't going to let it go. Between dance, theater, and cheerleading, I love being able to provide an entertaining show for any audience member, whether they are in the stands of a football field or in the seats in an auditorium. Many people come to watch shows to have a fun experience, and I love being able to provide that for them. During the school day, I participate in a variety of clubs such as the Academy Ambassadors Club, which promotes school spirit and engages in various service activities for prospective students and families. I am also an active member of the Guardians of Life Club, focusing on pro-life advocacy. I am also a member of the Medical Club, and I am currently running for club president for the 2025-2026 school year. These clubs are great opportunities to interact with students at my school whom I have never met nor gotten the chance to meet. And what do all of these extracurriculars have in common? I love putting a smile on my peers' faces.

I would like to study and pursue forensic science and crime scene investigation, which means working out in the field and not being confined to one specific space every single day. Over the past year, my grandmother was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Even after getting a hysterectomy, which removed the tumor, she still had to undergo months of radiation therapy. She was already weak because she is 76, and after the pandemic, she hasn't been able to taste or smell, meaning she doesn't want to eat, and she's lost a lot of weight. On top of that, she broke her ankle last year and is still recovering. After all of that, cancer was the last thing she needed, especially because we did not know if her cancer had spread anywhere, and it did not help that her lab results were constantly lost at the doctor's office. Watching her go through that radiation treatment tore me apart. Everyday after therapy, she sat in her living room for the rest of the day because she felt too weak to go anywhere or do anything. She would call me or my mother every day and cry her heart out. luckily, her treatment is over now, and her journey the past two years have inspired me to be as strong as she is. Between her cancer and her other obstacles, she barely left the house and was absolutely miserable, she felt like she was beyond unproductive. Hence, I want a job where I can go outside to different places every day, making a difference in the community. I don't want to be stuck in an office or business building everyday doing the same boring, restrictive things, like she was doing in her living room every day. I'm extremely grateful that this cancer did not take my grandmother from me. My other grandmother lost a battle to lung cancer when I was a toddler, and it pains me everyday that I never got to make many memories with her. I think it is quite sad that the only memory I have of her was when I was a very small child maybe 3 years old (this would definitely be one of my earliest memories), she was too weak to walk up the two steps outside my front door, and she had to sit outside on our front porch for the entirety of my birthday party because she couldn't make it inside. She died shortly after, and that is the only memory I have of her. I strive everyday to make her proud. I didn't get a chance to grieve her loss until I really understood what death was, which wasn't until I was ten or eleven. One of the only things I know about her was that she had a very unproductive life, and I want to work out in crime scene investigation to make a productive difference in the lives of others, getting justice and closure for those who lost a loved one too soon, just like I did. My grandmothers both suffered a great deal with cancer, and my career goals are to work out in the community and make a difference in the lives of those who suffered pain or a loss of a loved one.

Gen Z is such a strange generation because we are in between the millennials and Gen Alpha, so basically we're stuck between being addicted to pumpkin spice or tablets. Gen Z, however, being young adults, are at that age where we're still treated like kids, but expected to act like grown-ups. Right this instant, I have to decide where I want to go to college and what I want to do with the rest of my life. Yet I'm not allowed to go out on a Friday night if my parents won't let me. However, I'm grateful that I'm not part of any other generation. It's obvious how the newer generation is going to grow up with slang words that aren't even real words. Anytime I use "trending" slang like "sigma" or "rizz" around my friends, they give me the weirdest stares, and it's hilarious. Because let's face it...how bored did someone have to be to come up with all of this? Being a part of Gen Z means I was the worst age to be during the pandemic- a teenager going through puberty. The one thing I can't wait for is when I have kids one day, I'll tell my kids that I lived through a pandemic, so they can't complain when they can't leave the house. I'll also be able to tell my kids that I'm older than AI, which will blow their minds. Being Gen Z also means I'm not necessarily susceptible to brain-rot and memes on the internet, yet I still understand and enjoy them. I love being Gen Z because life is like one big computer; getting super overheated, needs to charge, a million tabs open, and I have no idea where the music is coming from or how to turn it off.

The last line in "Lacy" says, "I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you". There have been so many people in my life that I don't like, yet I see myself envying over them anyways. Do I love them? Do I hate them? It's hard to tell, and it's as if the only reason I don't like them is because they have everything that I want but don't have. Jealousy is something I've always struggled with, and I feel like a lot of Olivia's music discusses comparing herself to other girls, which I relate to so incredibly much. All of the Lyrics in "Lacy" are praising and hating this girl all at once. This relates to my own teenage experience because like any other friend groups, people come and go, and there's always going to be fake friends and people who will make you miserable, yet you hang out with them anyways. It's as if you hate them, but you love them too much to leave them. This might not be the direct message of "Lacy", but this is how I relate to it. As a teenager, especially a teenage girl, life is full of comparison and insecurity. Moreover, in "Lacy", I really see that song as a song saying "I hate you so much, but I love you so much, and I hate that I love you this much". I have a friend like that now. She is immature and very "fake", she acts very stereotypical and I often don't like her attitude. It's worse that she is loved by everyone because in turn, I love her too. She is one of my best friends, but sometimes I hate her because of how she is perceived by everyone else. Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS album really resonates with the teenage experience because her music is about love, revenge, jealousy, and all the angsty feelings that girls go through, especially in high school. Other songs, such as "Get Him Back" and "Bad Idea Right?" really allow Olivia to connect with her audiences, but other songs like "So American" really capture feelings of love. GUTS has such a widespread variety of themes that every teenage girl goes through from love to hate to just wanting to be alone. No matter what emotion you are feeling, if you are in high school, you can go to this album and find a song that matches your mood. In her Sour album, I thought Olivia was complaining the whole time. But having matured myself, I now realize how valid the points she makes, and she continues with the validity in her lyrics in GUTS. In "Lacy", she says "I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you". This really connects with me and my teenage experience because of the relationships I have with my friends. Sometimes I hate myself because of how much I care about my friends, whether they are genuinely bad people or they are praised by everyone.

I first started liking Sabrina Carpenter around 2014 when she was on "Girl Meets World". Soon after she was on the show, she released "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying", and I've followed her and her music ever since. I've always loved her style as an actress, singer, and person in general, and I've always looked up to her as a role model. Granted, her newer music is great, I even have the Short n' Sweet CD, yet I prefer her older music because it gives me such nostalgia. The amount of times I've screamed the lyrics to "On Purpose" in my car while driving home from school is too many to count. My favorite Sabrina album is Singular Act I because I like how self-loving it is. During the hardest times of my life, I listened to this album, specifically "Sue Me", because her songs helped me realize how powerful I am as an individual, I don't need dumb boys or fake friends in order to thrive. When Olivia Rodrigo released "Driver's License", and it was rumored that Sabrina released "Skin" as a comeback, I totally supported Sabrina. Whether the song was really about Olivia or not, I thought that the overall message of the song was so powerful. Since I was about six years old, I've always dreamed of going to one of Sabrina's concerts, but I never actually looked into it until it was too late. By that, I mean I was never old enough to buy my own concert tickets until recently and my parents weren't going to buy me tickets to see her. I got early access to her presale for being one of her top listeners on Spotify, yet when I saw that tickets were almost $400 for the back row, I knew I'd never be able to afford that. Sabrina has always been such a role model, and even lately as she's matured, she always makes songs and content for the female audience as a sense of fun and maybe a little bit of relatability. She never makes songs or performs specifically for male attention (unlike many of the artists in today's generation), no matter how "sexual" her recent performances have been. That's what I've always loved about her; she admits to being herself and having her own style. When she performs concerts, it is obvious how much she loves entertaining the audience and how much she cares about her fans. I really love Sabrina Carpenter because she writes, sings, and performs songs so well. She is also an amazing actress. Her morals and motives are all in the right places and she isn't selfish, which I understand can be difficult when the Hollywood industries can ruin singers' reputations. Whether she is acting, singing, dancing, or just having a fun time, Sabrina does everything with a meaningful purpose, which is so beautiful.

My favorite Billie Eilish song is "Everything I Wanted" because the introduction says "I had a dream, I got everything I wanted, Not what you'd think, and if I'm being honest, it might've been a nightmare". I like this introduction because it gives the impression that not everything is as it seems. Also, almost the entire song feels like it is discussing overthinking and the power of negative thoughts, which I can relate to. Later in the song, she says "when I wake up", and I personally always think of it as not waking up from sleep, but waking up from those negative thoughts that cause you to think that everything is a nightmare. My second favorite Billie song is "Lovely" because I've had issues with loneliness over the past few years, and I think the song is about trying to escape yourself. My favorite line is "heart made of glass, my mind of stone" because I truly relate to the fact that my heart is so fragile and easy to get into and break, yet my mind and thoughts are impossible to crush. My third favorite Billie song is "idontwannabeyouanymore". I like this song because in the lyrics "tell the mirror what you know she's heard before", it is more of a self-reflection song instead of a song that is hating on someone else. This song resonates with me because I feel like the song is talking about not feeling like myself on the inside and outside, which I experience quite often. Overall, I love Billie Eilish's songs because they aren't the typical love or breakup songs, but they talk about mental struggles and battles with one's own thoughts, which I relate to more than any other type of song.

I've always enjoyed the Broadway show, and Kristen Chenoweth has always been a role model of mine. One of my favorite "stories" (movies, plots) as a child was the Wizard of Oz, and I love how this storyline shows the background of the characters. When the movie came out, I was skeptical, because sometimes movie adaptations do not match the Broadway performances, but I thought all the actors did a wonderful job! My favorite song in the whole show has always been Dancing Through Life, I just think it is so fun, and being a dancer myself, I, too, have always been "dancing through life" myself. All of the vocals and acting in the movie was performed quite well and I can see why the movie gets all the praise that it does! Being an actor myself, in any show I watch, on screen or on stage, I always look at it from a performer's perspective, and I can truly see how much chemistry the actors have and how dedicated they are to performing their characters well. I first saw this show in 2020 on stage, and I thought that the songs, characters, and general plot was just so moving. I loved seeing the plot of the Wizard of Oz expanded more than the original storyline.

I mainly read fiction books, not because they're "easier" to read or follow along to, but because they allow me to escape into a new world that isn't my reality. The main things that I've learned from books, whether it's Shakespeare plays or the newest finds at Barnes & Noble, is that you are more than your thoughts. Common themes in books are misunderstandings or selfishness. My favorite books, including "All Your Twisted Secrets" by Diana Urban, "Nothing Like the Movies" by Lynn Painter, and "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green, all depict a main character who is too caught up in her own tornado of thoughts to accept the blessings and amazing things that are actually happening in her life. I used to hate annotating books, I thought it would ruin the pages, but now I love it. I pick a highlighter for each book and only highlight the important quotes; the ones that can be real life lessons. In John Green's "Turtles All the Way Down", one of the quotes that stood out to me was, "You pick your endings, and your beginnings. You get to pick the frame, you know? Maybe you don't choose what's in the picture, but you decide the frame" (Green 277). I use this as a life lesson because I know that there are things in my life that I'll never be able to control, but I can at least change my perspective of every situation. Recently, I read "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton, which was a bit of a stretch, considering I haven't read much from the early twentieth century, although, I enjoyed it. The protagonist, Lily Bart, suffers from a gambling addiction and must sacrifice marrying the man she truly loves because she must find a rich husband instead, so she can pay off her gambling debts. The themes in this novel have taught me to not let my issues consume me. I'd never spoil the ending of a good book, however, Lily experiences a severe rough patch during the last few chapters and loses many things in her life. She allowed herself to go through these hardships by ignoring all the miracles in her life and only focusing on the problems that she could barely solve herself. In fact, I saw a bit of myself in Lily, since I, too, can allow my troubles to get the best of me. However, Lily taught me that stress should never allow me to lose sight of all the good things that are in my life. The books that I've read, and the lessons that they've taught me, have shaped my goals because I try my best to think past my anxieties. Anytime I'm facing a hardship, I always remember how in every movie I've seen or book I've read, the protagonist fails at attaining her goals because she didn't see the silver lining in situations. Whether it is in a friendship or any other kind of relationship, I always remember that I'm lucky to have these people in my life and to not take my relationship with them for granted.

First, and I hope this doesn't sound basic, but I love the beach. Specifically cities like Ocean City, MD, which is the one I go to the most, and I spend every summer there. Most years, I would help the people in our condo building to clean up the pool area by planting different flowers and plants outside the gates of the pool. We dig up weeds and make the area very aesthetically pleasing. The idea of not having beaches around due to pollution or dying plants really hurts. Secondly, I have been very interested in succulents and houseplants. In 2021 I went to a store in Fenwick, Delaware, and I bought a succulent, his name is Bartholomew. I liked the pot he was in, it was a purple monster-looking pot. I didn't care that he was nearly dead, I even bought a fake plastic plant to put in him once he fully died. However, I managed to take care of him and bring him back to life. He lived beautifully until recently. After thriving on my bedroom windowsill for nearly four years, no matter how much water or sunlight he got, he turned all brown and dry. I was heartbroken. Nevertheless, my mother has a large spider plant in our living room, and she is currently growing a mini one for me to put in Bartholomew's pot. I already decided that when I'm an old lady, I'm not going to be a crazy cat lady, I'm going to be a crazy plant lady. To continue with plants, my house has lots of flowers and special types of grass all around our front and back yard. Clearly want these plants to grow, but animals always wreck it by eating it or using them as restrooms. However, my parents want to ensure that whatever methods we use to protect our plants also do not harm the animals. Any spray we use, we make sure it keeps animals away by its bad scent, not deadly taste. We always make sure to use sprays that have more natural ingredients, not pesticides or chemically-loaded poisons. We've also tried to preserve the plants around our house with nets and fences, which keep them from getting eaten. To conclude, I love the environment very much, in terms of keeping the plants and those who are near the plants safe and happy. I enjoy helping plants to grow and flourish, whether they are miles away from home or in my own backyard.

My faith hasn't always been easy. Growing up, I felt like I was forced into my faith and my relationship with God was never something that I found important. However, when I came to Mount de Sales Academy (my school), everything completely changed. I became much more connected with my faith and I was able to discover who I truly am as a daughter of God. My faith has shaped my vision for the future through one of the most common ways: my vocation. I of course contemplated religious life, but I went on a religious retreat and I saw a vision of me as a wife; not God's wife, but a wife with a husband, children, and family. I've seen God work miracles in my life in so many ways, pulling me out of a rut that I had entered during my freshman year of high school. My faith has allowed me to be a leader because although I can be reserved at times, my friends and I have started a small Bible study that we try to meet with at least once a week. Over the past three years in high school, I was Chaplain for one of our school clubs and regularly led the club, as well as school events, in prayer. I have run for Chaplain for various other clubs/offices, but was unsuccessful primarily because everyone knows how school elections are mainly popularity contests. I'm still not the perfect Catholic, but I've improved my faith journey so much over the past few years. Most recently, I took a retreat/pilgrimage to Nashville, Tennessee, where I visited the Dominican Mother House. I went to mass at the Basilica, and I spent a few days learning more about the faith. I truly appreciated the time to reflect and explore my faith. More specifically, my faith has influenced my leadership style by allowing me to be an example for others. Whether the situation is about modesty, dignity, or looking for the silver lining, I've had plenty of experiences that have led me to believe how God has worked wonders in my life. I, as well as many of my closest friends have experienced various hardships over the past year or two, and I've always looked toward God, wondering what kind of lesson he is trying to teach me. God has pulled me out of the hardest times in my life, and I see that now that he has gotten me through those times, teaching me lessons along the way. I have learned through these experiences that the hardships are always worth it because God always has something greater planned. I therefore use these lessons to allow me to be a leader and role model for others on how to look toward God for lessons and guidance during times of trouble.

Fine arts develop a sense and passion of creativity that is stronger than any other more logic-based core class. In high school, I've been a member of the Honors Acting Ensemble for the past two years, where I've learned social skills such as how to work well with others. By performing, I can take a break from normal academics and explore a different environment: the stage. I have been involved in many of the theatrical shows at my school, including performing classic plays such as "Anne of Green Gables" (Miss Susan Stacy), or more intricate plays such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Hippolyta). I admit, my vocal cords are not talented enough to shine during a musical, however, the fine arts are so important to me that I took over as the head of the costume department for this years musical "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". To be completely honest, dressing almost 20 Oompa Loompas was no easy task. If not for the fine arts, I would have continued my high school journey in athletics or my regular academic courses, none of which fuel me with the same fire and passion that theater does. Outside of school, I've been a dancer for almost 15 years, which is another interest of mine, but theater is how I connected to my community at school. Before perusing fine arts, I struggled to "fit in" to a community or social circle of people. The only reason I auditioned for theater my freshman year was because I was bored. However, as soon as I stepped foot into the fine arts building, I knew I had found my family. From that point on, theater was no longer just an activity to keep me occupied, it became my greatest passion. Additionally, I have combined my two favorite interests, theater and service, by helping out at my school's theater camp program for middle schoolers that lasts about a week over the summer. I thought performing was a joy, but it gave me an even greater joy watching others grow into the talented performers that they have the potential to be. Finally, I would use these funds to continue my theatrical journey. In college, I understand how competitive the fine arts programs can be, especially in terms of finding a job after graduation, which is why I will most likely major in some sort of science. However, I cannot leave my passion behind and I am considering minoring in acting or theatre in general. This financial investment will not only help me, but help my community, because I want to give back to the theater and other fine arts programs that have helped me along the way. My dance studio doesn't always have the best resources, and I would like to help them as much as I can while I am still dancing there. Thank you so much for this opportunity to apply for this scholarship. If not for my faith and service, the fine arts are such a major passion of mine and I truly believe it deserves more appreciation. The fine arts not only bring joy outside of school, but also allow students to meet new people and explore different interests they never knew they had. For students like me who never felt like they belonged, the fine arts has such a broad spectrum, from music to dance to theater, everyone is a family, and I would love to share my passion for the fine arts with the world.